WellesleyWeston Magazine

FALL 2018

Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.

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Stressed Out Battling the Back-to-School Schedule
P AT T Y L E N Z B O V I E writer
heading back to school almost always triggers mixed emotions. Some kids look
forward to reconnecting with friends. Others dread the onslaught of early wake-ups and home-
work. The reality is that September often brings academic, social, emotional, and athletic pres-
sures that can send kids into a tailspin of stress.
Dr. Susan Swick, a psychiatrist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, says that adolescence should be
a time for trial and error and a time for kids to discover their passions and talents. But in towns
like Wellesley and Weston, where many parents are very successful, expectations can be high.
"Kids don't want to let their parents down," said Dr. David Lussier, superintendent of Wellesley
Public Schools. "Our goal is to help dial back some of the stress, so adolescence remains a time
when kids have the freedom to make mistakes."
According to Wellesley Middle School Psychologist Vicky Anderson, "A certain amount of
stress in our lives is necessary because it serves as a burst of energy." But too much can be
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